7.9

Next Level Games introduces Mario Strikers Charged Football for the Nintendo Wii. Acting as a sequel to the 2005 Super Mario Strikers for GameCube, Strikers Charged aims to amplify the crazy factor that Mario sports games always have. The end result, however, is more of a chaotic game play of flaming balls, thunder hits, and flying shells than a soccer game.

Players begin by selecting a team captain from the main characters of the Mario franchise such as Luigi, Bowser, Mario, Princess Peach, Daisy, and Wario. There are 12 captains, each with unique capabilities in movement, shooting, passing, and defense. Once you have a captain, pick 3 teammates from lesser Mario characters (Shy Guy, Monty Mole, Birdo, etc). Your teammates’ specifications are as varied as the captains themselves; they have their signature megastrike shots and big powershots.

Powerful as they may seem, the teammates don’t have anything the captains don’t have. When you hold down the B button long enough with a captain, a golf swing meter pops out that begins by counting up to 6. This determines how many balls you will fire out at the goaltender in rapid succession. The meter swings backward, and depending on how well your timing was with the return swing, it will be more or less difficult to stop the incoming shots. Once all meters are set, the captain leaps into the air and starts firing off shots.

Things are not easy to pull off though. You will be constantly distracted and interrupted by opponents raking up on you or shells from across the field. The track field you are playing on can also create chaos, as there are certain fields which have electric bolts running up and down the pitch, and huge magma balls that destroy everything in its path. If you want to knock an opponent down, stand near him and simply wag the remote back and forth.

Playing on the multiplayer mode is much more fun. With up to 4 players that can play both online and offline but the online mode makes the game worth it. You can play in ranked matches against random opponents; you can also engage in a 4 player online, with 2 players only per console. Leader boards that track the daily stats and cumulative records are available as well. Only downside is, there are no communication options online. This game is a lot of fun I would recommend you get some friends together and have some fun with it.